中国警察が新疆で私を追跡している

中国警察が新疆で私を追跡している

We got stopped by the police. Foreign tourists are prohibited from entering and passing through is not allowed either. Shing Jang is always claimed to be heavily surveiled and that movement within it is very restricted that you can’t go somewhere where police doesn’t know about you or isn’t watching you. And to test how true that is, I will be hitchhiking from Ili to Kashkar, a distance of,200 km or an 18 hours long drive. one that requires me to drive through regions that are difficult to access. And in this journey, we’ll see the hospitality of the locals as well as the behavior of authorities when they learn about what I’m doing. Hi everyone, welcome back to my travel series in Shinjang, China. I’m traveling all over this province to show you that it is totally safe. It’s not dangerous. I show you the nicest of the people here and I also want to beat some misconceptions that you might have. And for that, I’m putting myself in the most difficult situation because I’m traveling in the offse. So, normally it is very warm here. But now it’s snowing and it’s minus 10. And in that weather, I’m going to try to hitchhike from this point to all the other side of Ching Jang. And I’m right now in Ili. So yesterday in the video, you might have seen that I stayed with a Kazak family in their house over there. And today I’m going to try to reach to a city called Kucha, which is very far from here. So I’m right now at a big road here, and I’m going to try to get a ride here. I said this. No. Okay. He refused. Okay. Let’s start by just standing on this side of the road. Maybe if I stick out my finger, then someone will come. You probably think, “What is this crazy person standing here?” Luckily, in case it’s getting too cold, there’s a restaurant there and uh they’re cooking some meat there and they have some music, so the atmosphere is nice. Is he stopping? I don’t know if he’s stopping or not. No, he’s not stopping. Okay, I have one glove left because I lost the other one. So, I’m just going to put on my one glove to not have my hitchhiking thumb freeze. Great. Uh-huh. Someone is stopping. Anyhow, uh to you speak Chinese. No, but I wait. Can you show me on the map where you’re going? Is there a gas station or something there where you can drop me off? That’s probably not good. Okay, I think I have to look for another car. Hello. Hello. I’m I’m uh from Belgium. I’m trying to go to uh either Kucha or all the way on or anywhere on the way there. Uh yeah. What’s your name? Jonathan, you are very handsome. Thank you. Thank you. No worries. Bye-bye. Well, luckily it’s not raining at least. Could always be worse. This car is stopping. Anyhow, uh to Kucha. Kucha. Kucha. Au. I’ll translate. Okay. Au. You got to me. Uh, coocha. You you you then? Yeah. Are you going to coocha? Yeah. Okay. Can I come? Can I Thank you. Okay. So, this car is apparently going all the way to Kucha, which is exactly what I have to do. Hello. Welcome. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Hungry. Hungry. No, I just ate. So sweet. Ah, amazing. This car actually all the way goes to Kucha. I don’t know. But it’s definitely that direction. That’s good. Are you going to visit family in Kucha? Wow. Red Bull. Perfect. Gives me energy. My god, people are so sweet here. on hitchhiking in China. I’m of Kyis ethnic group. Kyis. Ah, that’s nice. My wife is of Yuger ethnic group. Our baby will surely be very cute. We’re very lucky that we can communicate in this way. Yeah, that’s true. Yes. Urmat. His name is Urmat. My name is Jonathan. Jonathan. Yes. Yes. We probably can’t reach Cuka today. There isn’t enough time because there’s a a blizzard going on. So, I don’t know if it will reach today in Kucha, he says. But then they will stay somewhere overnight. I don’t know what that means for me. If then uh like they’re going to stay in a hotel or they’re going to stay with family or something. I don’t know. How long is the drive in total? 700 km. Ah, okay. Okay. 13 hours. 13 hours. Wow. That’s longer than I expected. His man is very nice. He uh he passed his truck. We had to wait now and now he’s offering him a cigarette in return. I love that he put on English music now for me. But I think you put on Ryan Adams. If you could go anywhere, where would you want to go? I really want to see the sea. Ah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think Shinjiang is better than anywhere else except that there is no sea here. Which do you think is better, India or China? They are very different and very incomparable. I traveled in both countries and in both countries the people are very nice. But I like both countries. I’m in a really bad mood right now. I’m starving. He’s angry. Yes. Yes. A beautiful woman eat. He got stopped by the police. He’s talking to the cops. I don’t know. Maybe there’s a problem. military strategic location and foreign tourists are prohibited from entering. So perhaps you need to ask the police officer to arrange another vehicle for you now. But I’m only driving through there. I know you’re just passing through. However, the area we’re in now is a military strategic location. Foreign tourists are prohibited from entering and passing through is not allowed either. This area is known as the Nalati grasslands, known for its beautiful landscape and vivid greenery. In the winter, this is turned into a military zone as it’s right on the border with Kazakhstan. Going through here as a foreigner is nearly impossible. Hitchhike to NRA and then there is an airport in NRA that has flights to Kuka. Is it possible to go over land? Because I do not want to take a flight. No, no, no. Okay. So, I have to leave here. I got stopped by police and I have to go back. What does it say? Internet. No. Uh internet. No. We can also not communicate without internet here. I understand. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Okay. I cannot film here because there’s too much police now. But I’ll update you in a bit. Okay. They’re going to send me back to the city where I came from because uh it’s a military zone. The guy who took me is looking over there at me. Very worried. I hope I didn’t cause too much problem for the guy because now I see they’re questioning him. The curious man who picked me up earlier messaged me on WeChat telling me to delete my footage and that he would remove me from his contacts. He then wished me luck on my journey. What he likely knew, and I didn’t, was that I was about to be taken to the police station. As soon as I returned to the nearby city, the police escorted me there. Worried they might confiscate my camera or footage, I quickly swept my SD card, then hit the other one inside a cigarette pack. I hadn’t filmed anything sensitive, but I didn’t want to risk losing all my China footage. At the station, an officer asked why I was there. I said I was a tourist making travel videos. He already knew I was Belgian and was aware of all my previous travels in China. He even asked if I had a permit for Tashkuran, something I had only mentioned to a friend and a tour guide on WeChat. At that moment, I felt like they knew everything about me. So, the police has now put me in this car with two people I don’t know, and they’re going to send me all the way back to the city I came from. So, I have to find another way to uh reach Kucha. The options are that I take a train that goes to Urumchi and then go from there, or I have to take a flight, but that might be expensive, and then I can continue hitchhiking from Kucha. Um, first I’m going to have to go all the way back to Ili which takes another 6 hours and then I have to see from there. I’m just filming this very quick because there’s a lot of police officers there. But I went to the toilet here really quick and there’s a lot of uh big hungars here that all belong to the army. And right over there when I walked from there I saw that there’s some army tents there as well. But I have to go back to the car now. Okay. They just put me back in a taxi uh back on the way to Yining because they told me that the way is not fit for foreigners at this time of the year, whatever that means. So my last option is now that I just have to fly to Kucha and then see from there. Maybe I can uh hitchhike after that. And I got a ride from this person here who is very nice because he just gave me this bracelet for free. Uh he just gave this as a present to me. Said this is a present for you. you’re welcome. I had to switch to another taxi. I don’t know why, but uh the other taxi driver is going to drive me further. Okay. Okay. Thank you. As hitchhiking did no longer look like an option around this area in Shinjang, I decided to take a flight to Kucha. Luckily, flights are widely available as well these days in Shinjang. I finally made it to Kucha. I’m not in the city yet, but I’m in the middle of the desert right now because actually the most famous thing to do here in Kucha is visit this ancient city. People also come here to build these type of small stone towers to pay respect to uh the ancient civilization and to the old monks and the people that used to live here. There’s not that much to see and I’m quite hungry. So, let’s go to the city. It’s very quiet. There’s no one here. And there’s a lot of construction going on everywhere. There’s absolutely no one here besides these two camels here. Hello. Okay. Don’t attack me. I just want to go up here. Okay. Okay. I’m going to run in three, two, one. Oh my god, he definitely attacks. Can I have this? No. Feel for I will sit. That was Thank you. You always get this teapot when you sit down here. And whenever I sit down, there’s always someone immediately that comes and brings me that teapot. I think it’s fair to say that Chinese cuisine is my favorite cuisine in the world. It’s just so good, honestly. Good. Good. Okay, I’ll I’ll come back. I’ll come back later. Wait, I will translate. Wait, wait, wait. You not have a nonh hospital? No. No Chinese. Ah, you don’t speak Chinese. Weager. Weager. Let’s see. Let’s see. I think they uh they don’t always type with the characters. Okay. Well, here you can see how these are made. They’re baked in the oven and they have to crawl all the way in there. I think I came a little bit at an odd timing to the city because all the streets are in construction like this and there’s not that many people in the street. Definitely no tourists. But it also can be because today it is a the end of Ramadan. So probably maybe people are in their house celebrating with their family. But maybe I can try my luck in the city center. That’s where I’m walking now. I’m walking in the street and there’s again a police officer who’s secretly following me in the right here. There’s a car uh that’s been driving behind me the whole time that I was walking here. They still follow me and at some point they stopped me for questions yet again. I arrived yesterday. Okay. Every single day here in Xi Jang the same happens. I’m walking around in the city and then at some point I just see a police officer or a police car following me and then they just follow me for like a steady hour and then after an hour they stop me and and they just ask me all this all the same questions as they always ask again. The police are still circling here. They just drive by all the time. So, I just sat down here and I order Negroni. Cheers. After a short rest, I decided to continue hitchhiking. I took a taxi to the outskirts of the city to start from there. Welcome to Bye-bye. Goodbye. Bye-bye. Okay, I just got dropped off by this nice taxi driver uh on another uh gas station here because again I’m going to try to hitchhike from here uh but this time to Kashgar which is my end destination in China to Kashgar you don’t okay nihow okay a different strategy I’m going to try to stand here at the exit of the highway so that all cars that just uh go off the freeway here they just have to pass here. So hopefully a car will stop then. Uh there the first car is coming. They do not stop to Qashqar. You go to Kashkari to Kashkar. You go to Kashkar. No no no no. Where you go to Kash Kashkar. Okay. Can I come? I can come. Okay, we’re just a little bit packed right now, but it’s fine. Okay, this is only a very short distance, but at least it’s something. I’m already away from this uh annoying gas station there. Up to the next gas station. This way you can find a driver going to Kashka. Okay, thank you so much. No thanks. We got an hour ride through the dusty roads of the desert, hoping that this time the police would not stop us. Kashkar is that way and then to the left. Hotel. Okay. Okay. Bye-bye. 9999. This guy dropped me off in a very small provincial road because apparently there’s a train station over there, but I want to hitchhike. So, the road to hitchhike, the big freeway is all the way over there. So, I hope someone will stop here at some point because otherwise I have to walk a very long way. That’s what I say to go to Kashkar. Huh? To Kashkar. Kashkar. Yes. Chung. Let’s go to Keing County. Is that on the way to Kashkar? There. Yeah. Go. How do I get in there? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Wait. That’s going to be very tight. Okay. You go sit here. Okay. Wow. That’s very sweet. He’s going to sit in the back. Especially for me. Hello. Hello. I hope they will drop me off at the highway. Now, if a white van stops and tells you to go in, but the driver goes sit in the back, it’s probably not that bad. Oh, here he is. Huh? I go. I don’t understand. I come. Okay, wait. I’ll come with you. I think they’re helping me to find another car to Kashkar. I still have no idea what’s going on. Oh, now we’re going to eat. Okay. Well, all I wanted was just a ride to the highway. I hope we still arrive in Kashkar today. Is this a good spot to find a ride from here to Kashkar? Now these people maybe know the name. So on that side this to Kashkar. Kashkar. Okay. Okay. He says, “We sell alcohol in Kelpin.” How did you become so old? What you mean? Maybe they mean how old I am. Me 29. I don’t know if that’s old. Apparently, they think that’s very old. Oh, wow. They ordered I’m being f like they’re my grandmother. It’s definitely the culture here that you cannot um say no to food. When you get one bit of food, they give you more and more and more and more. No, no, no. He asked if I’m a spy. No. Tourist. What do you say? How do you say weaguer? How do you say this? Like cheers. Cher. Okay. To where? It’s okay. It’s okay. I will I will go and find a car there. It’s okay. You’re welcome. Okay, I will make you a leader. Okay, I’m ready to help you on your way. Oh, it’s okay. It’s okay. No worries. No, no, no, no, no. It’s okay. It’s okay. Look, it’s only the It’s only the cover. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. No, no, no, no, no, no. It’s okay. It’s okay. Rahmed. I think they want to do they see a foreigner and they want to do branding for their alcohol. Nice. Very good. Very good. Now I have to go now. I have to go. I have to push with all these bottles of alcohol. Oh my god. I don’t even drink alcohol. Rhmed. Bye-bye. It’s okay. It’s okay. Now I go. Bye-bye. Well, they were very helpful and very nice, but one of the guys was also very drunk. So, I would definitely never get in the car with them except for that very short piece because I didn’t know back then. Okay, I walked a little bit further from the road where they were so that hopefully they don’t find me again. Here, this road crosses to the expressway. So, hopefully there’s some cars that go maybe straight to Kashkar even. Uhoh, there’s another woman who’s also hitchhiking. I got competition. Who will they pick up? The local woman or the foreigner? Oh my god, she’s winning. Oh, maybe I can fit both to Qashqar. Kashkar. Kashkar to Qashqar. No one is stopping here. There’s also not that many cars. So, I’m going to walk uh to the center of this village here in the hope uh to find a car there, maybe. Uh can I go in the back? Ah, there. Okay. Okay. I don’t know where she’s going, but okay. I don’t think we’re going to go all the way to Kashkar, but anywhere that direction is good. We still have 400 km to go. Let’s see how far we get through this. I have to go there. I am. Yeah. I go to Kashkar. Kashkar. Kashkar. Very far. To Kashkar there. Okay. I will go there. Okay. Rahmed. Well, it was a 200 m ride. It was also interesting. Okay. So, she works at the gas station on the highway and then she will drop me off there and then I can look for another car from there. Perfect spot. This must be the most comfortable ride I had so far. Would you like to have a rest in the gas room? Gas room. Okay, we’re going to check out the gas room. I don’t know what that is. That sounds very dystopian, but great. It’s bring your foreigner to work day today. Hello. This is the place to rest. This is the place to rest. Okay. Okay. Okay. I’ll go there. I’ll come in a bit. I’ll go there. She wasn’t lying when she said rest place. You even have massage chairs here. Nice. Drink some water. You can rest for a while before you go. Tell me if you need anything. Damn it. So sweet. Oh my god. Oh, who said hitchhiking was not comfortable? Are you leaving? Yes. Yes. Okay, then you go to the service area to look for it. Yes. Yes, I will. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Uh to Kashkar. Can I come with you to Kashkar? Okay, perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Nice. This is the second time that I get red pull from someone. I thought you were from the United States. No, no, no, no. Not from America. Thank you. Thank you. Bye-bye. We’re now halfway and the next part of the journey is through the desert and there’s a sandstorm coming. So, I hope that I can score a ride here that goes all the way. So random. I don’t trust you. You’re going to attack me. Oh yeah. See over there. There’s some people that are signing me. So maybe they have a right for me. Ashimusi you go to Kashkar. Kashkar. Can I come? One person. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Okay. That’s great. They say that they go all the way to Kashkar. No. No. You don’t you don’t have to press here. I love you. You translated I love you. So I think they don’t understand that I’m hitchhiking because they asked now for money. So do I have to pay or not? I can share the price of the fuel of course. You don’t have money? No problem. A few of us here are paying for to help you deliver Kashkar. Rahmed. I mean, they already offered to pay for me. So, I’ll just share a little bit with like paying for the gasoline or something. They basically uh rented this car with the driver and they are super nice because the driver asked for extra money, but they offer to all split that so that I pay a part and that they pay a part. So, it’s so nice. So I can’t even I mean I tried to refuse that because of course that’s crazy that I would ask for money for people here but they uh refuse so far. Maybe when I later in the car I can still like secretly give the driver the money or something but I doubt it. Find a partner here. Maybe. Are you in the same place with him? Who is this? This is Kevin de. Yes. Yes. sit here or here. Okay, we got a spot finally. A full car. Sit with a beautiful woman. Really trying to uh get me a wife. How do you say nice to meet you in Weaguer? Sh. That’s a lot. I have already written down Rahmed, let alone that I remember this. Your Belgium beauties are the most beautiful. Bye-bye. Thank you. Finally arrived in Kashkar. It’s already super beautiful here and I’m already getting hit by bicycles. So now I’m going to head to my hotel and explore this beautiful city. With that you will see in the next video. See you next time. Bye-bye.

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I hitchhiked across Xinjiang — from Ili to Kashgar — to see the region for myself. Along the way, I was followed, questioned, and stopped by Chinese police more times than I can count. But despite the constant surveillance, I also met locals who helped me, shared their stories, and reminded me there’s more to this place than what the media tells us. This is what really happened.

Travel Date: March 2025

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0:00 – Chinese police in Xinjiang;
0:39 – Hitchhiking in Xinjiang;
3:16 – Friendly Uyghurs;
6:30 – Inside a military zone;
9:27 – Problems with the Chinese police;
11:35 – Kuqa;
15:42 – Followed by police;
16:39 – Hitchhiking to Kashgar;
19:05 – Uyghurs gave me a free meal;
24:25 – Shortest ride with cute Uyghur lady;
25:10 – Uyghurs are very helpfull;

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Hi, I’m Jonathan Le Blanc. I’m a full-time traveler who wants to show the human side of traveling and give another perspective on how the mass media portrays certain locations to us.

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💟Edited by: @Ajjouche on IG

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